Terminal block for hermetically



Feb. 21, 1956 T.'J. OBSZARNY 2,735,994

TERMINAL BLOCK FOR HERMETICALLY SEALEDRELAY Filed April 9', 1951 20 INVENTOR. 24 Tfieaam 056247 723 United States Patent TERMINAL BLOCK FOR HERMETICALLY SEALED RELAY Thedore J. Obszarny, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Guardian Electric Manufacturing Co., Chicago, BL, a corporation of Illinois Application April 9, 1951, Serial No. 219,921

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-198) This invention relates to terminal blocks or terminal panels especially adaptable for use in conjunction with hermetically sealed, electro-magnetic relays. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may also be advantageously employed in conjunction with relays of the unsealed type.

As is well known, in connection with present day aircraft, both military and commercial, it is of extremely great importance that the electro-magnetic relays that are employed for controlling the actuation of various instruments and devices, be hermetically sealed. Sealed relay components insure proper and satisfactory operation of the relays under a wide range of varying conditions of operation of the aircraft, such as for example at various altitudes, under wide ranges of humidity conditions, as well as under wide temperature ranges. The matter of space allocated to various instruments and control apparatus on aircraft is an extremely important factor in aircraft design, and hence it is important that such relays should be of relatively compact form so as to occupy a minimum amount of space.

The limited amount of spaoe provided in aircraft for controls and the like, has resulted in the production of relay components, enclosed within the hermetically sealed cases of minimum dimensions. Due'to such dimensional limitations, the terminal blocks or terminal panels employed in conjunction with such relays have been designed with a view to obtaining a proper mounting for the maximum number of sets of pole contacts. In such relays of the class herein referred to, it heretofore has been possible to provide space for only a maximum of three sets of terminals on the terminal blocks, for such pole contacts. i

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel form of terminal block, for electro-magnetic relays, which is constructed and arranged so as to permit accommodating within limited space dimensions, as heretofore determined, a greater number of sets of terminals, for pole contacts, than has ever been possible.

Another object is to provide a novel terminal block which affords maximum convenience, and effects substantial saving of time, in attaching conductor wires to the terminals of the terminal block.

A further object is to provide a novel form of terminal block which is constructed and arranged so as to provide a greater number of terminal mounting faces per unit of area than has heretofore been possible, while at the same time providing adequate insulation space between adjacent terminals.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of a relay assembly provided with a terminal block embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the relay assembly in side elevation with certain portions broken away and parts being shown in section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the 2,735,994 Patented 21,1956

outer end of the relay assembly and through my novel terminal block, and taken substantially as indicated at line 3-3 on Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary face view of the novel terminal block, before attachment of the terminal elements thereto;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end elevational 'view of the terminal block, looking down from the top of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through the terminal block, taken substantially as indicated at line 6-6 on Figure 4. i

The relay assembly as illustrated in-the drawing is of hermetically sealed type, and as represented in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, is shown at a scale corresponding to full size scale of the actual device. As shown in the drawing, the relay structure per se, which is indicated in Figure 2 in dotted lines at 10, is completely enclosed in a cup-shaped housing or case 11, formed of sheet metal. The case, adjacent the open end, is formed with an internal bead or shoulder 12 against which is seated a bulkhead 14 in the nature of a metal partition Wall, the

peripheral edges of which are sealed to the inner wall of the case by solder, as indicated at 15. It is to be understood that the bulkhead is provided with a suitable fitting, not shown, by virtue of which the chamber in the case, below the bulkhead 14, may be conveniently evacuated, and then subsequently filled, if'desired, with an inert, non-inflammable gas, such as nitrogen, and the fitting is then sealed off so that the operating parts of the relay proper, at all times, are capable of proper functioning under various conditions of operation as above referred to.

it is to be understood that the relay enclosed within the case 11 is provided with four sets of pole contacts, as well as terminal contacts for supplying of energy from a source of power to the coil of the relay. Extending from such contacts and terminals are separate conductor wires,

- sealed with respect thereto, and the conductor wires in a conventional manner, with the outer or free end portions of the wires, as indicated at 17a, projecting outwardly be-.

yond the sealing beads.

The terminal portions 17a of the conductor wires, leading from the interior of the case 11 are usually solder connected to terminal lugs on a terminal block. Heretofore, due to dimensional limitations, as abovereferred to, it has been possible only to construct and arrange the terminal block to provide terminal lugs for a maximum of three sets of pole contacts, in addition to two terminal lugs for supplying energy to the coil of the relay. By virtue of the novel construction of the terminal block, embodying the present invention, it isnow,

for the first time possible to provide terminal lugs for four sets of pole contacts, in addition to the two terminal lugs for supplying of energy to the relay coil.

The novel terminal block indicated at 26 is molded of suitable material possessing electrical insulating characteristics, and is formed on the underside with a peripheral depending flange 22, to provide for a snug telescopic fit within the open end of the case 11. The terminal blocks as heretofore produced for relays of the type here involved, are formed so that the conductor wires 17a extend through apertures formed in the terminal block and are solder connected to suitable terminal lugs on the block. Such lugs are so formed as to provide for attachment thereof to terminal elements on the ends of the conductor wires of the electrical circuits to be controlled by the relay.

The terminal block, as may be seen in the drawing, is formed with four substantially parallel embossments 24, each having a main mounting face or surface, indicated generally at 25, disposed at an inclined angle with respect to the main planes, indicated at and 20b, of the block proper. Each of the embossments 24 include contiguous surfaces, indicated at 26, which extend toward the main planes of the terminal block at an angle approximately normal to the inclined surfaces 25. By virtue of this construction, the embossments 24 provide four sets of terminal lug mounting faces, arranged in stepped relation to each other, in a generally saw-tooth pattern, as may be seen in Figure 3 of the drawing.

Extending transversely of the sets of embossments 24- are a plurality of parallel, paced-apart ribs 28, projecting outwardly beyond said embossments as clearly seen in the drawing. Said ribs serve to separate the main mounting surfaces 25 of each of the embossments, into four individual terminal lug mounting areas, indicated at 30. Each of these individual terminal lug mounting areas which are to be utilized, are provided with a pair of apertures 31 and 32 for the reception of tubular sleeve members 33 and 34 of a terminal lug 35. The free end of the tubular sleeve 33 of the terminal lug, is rolled outwardly against the underside of the wall of the embossment 24, to permanently anchor the terminal lug 35 in place. T he end portion 17:: of the conductor Wires, leading from the interior of the case, extend through the tubular portions 34 of the terminal lugs and are firmly anchored in position by a mass of solder, as indicated at 36. By virtue of such connections of the terminal portion 17a of the conductor wires, the terminal block as sembly in thus firmly secured in place on the open end of the case 11.

The interior of the tubular portion 33 of the terminal lugs is threaded for the reception of screws 38, for securing the terminal elements 39, of the conductor wires 40, rigidly to the terminal lugs on the terminal mounting areas of the terminal block 20.

It will be noted that by virtue of the ribs 28 the individual terminal mounting areas 30, of each of the embossments, are separated into individual areas, and the ribs serve to insure providing adequate air gap between two adjacent terminals to avoid possible short-circuiting. By virtue of the offset or stepped relationship of the various sets of terminal mounting areas, the matter of securing of conductor wires to the various terminal lugs may be efliciently and expeditiously accomplished, resulting in substantial saving of time. Furthermore, the arrangement permits such conductor wires to be arranged in a suitable harness to further expedite attachment to the terminal lugs of the terminal block.

The terminal lugs, as disclosed herein, constitute the subject matter disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 219,922, filed April 9, 1951, now Patent No. 2,701,870, dated February 8, 1955.

Although I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is capable of modification without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise form herein disclosed, except as I may be so limited by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A molded terminal block formed of material possessing electrical insulating characteristics, said block having a plurality of spaced apart parallel rows of embossments, each embossment having a surface disposed at an inclined angle to the main planes of the block, said embossment being arranged with their inclined surfaces disposed in parallel spaced apart stepped relation, and a plurality of parallel, spaced apart ribs extending between adjacent parallel rows of embossments projecting outwardly beyond said embossments to separate said parallel rows into a plurality of individual, apertured, terminal mounting areas.

2. A molded terminal block formed of material possessing electrical insulating characteristics, said block having a plurality of spaced apart parallel rows of embossments, each embossment having a surface disposed at an inclined angle to the main planes of the block, each row of inclined surfaces providing a single row of closely spaced apart, apertured terminal mounting areas, each embossment having an end surface contiguous with and disposed substantially normal to the inclined surface of each embossment, and a plurality of parallel, spaced apart ribs extending between adjacent parallel rows of embossments and projecting outwardly beyond said embossments to separate the adjacent inclined surfaces of the embossments of each of said parallel rows into a plurality of individual, apertured, terminal mounting areas.

3. A molded terminal block formed of material possessing electrical insulating characteristics, said block having a plurality of spaced apart sets of embossments, each set comprising a main surface having a single row of closely spaced apart terminal mounting areas, each of said areas being disposed at an inclined angle to the main planes of the block and being formed with a pair of apertures for receiving separate portions of a terminal lug for connection to conductor wires disposed at opposite sides of the block and a plurality of parallel, spaced apart ribs extending between adjacent sets of embossments and projecting outwardly beyond said embossments to separate the adjacent main surfaces of said sets of embossments into a plurality of parallel rows of individual, apertured, terminal mounting areas.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,691,088 Starke Nov. 13, 1928 2,200,059 Coyne May 7, 1940 2,265,363 Fisher Dec. 9, 1941 2,437,358 Mowery Mar. 9, 1948 2,457,023 Zelt Dec. 21, 1948 2,501,686 Merkle Mar. 28, 1950 

